Jennifer B. Gardner

I am a California native, born in San Francisco and raised in Los Angeles. I earned my degree in Political Science in 1983 from University of California at Los Angeles, and my JD from Southwestern University in 1986.

While attending UCLA, I interned in Washington D.C. for the ABC affiliate television station. I initially planned to pursue a career in broadcast journalism, and chose to bide my time in law school while I searched for a job in local radio. However, once in law school, I was hooked. I enjoyed the depth of analysis the legal profession required. I discovered a passion that went beyond reporting on social justice issues, to actually advocating about them. Law school inspired me to want to try cases, to directly make a difference in peoples’ lives. While in school, I participated in the Moot Court Honors program and clerked for the Juvenile Appellate Crimes Division of the California Attorney General’s office. After graduation, I worked as a civil litigation associate, notably and most recently with the renowned entertainment litigation firm of Lavely & Singer. My experiences as a young female attorney in the late 1980’s inspired me to start my own law firm. I quickly realized that in order to have a well-rounded life and actual trial experience, I would have to captain my own ship.

I founded McPherson & Grossblatt (1992) and then Gardner & Booth (1995), before starting my current law firm. Throughout this time, I have had the privilege of representing individuals from all walks of life — from the very wealthy and celebrated to the indigent — and enterprises of all sizes, in litigation matters from their inception through trial, focusing on real estate, entertainment, privacy and business disputes. In 2009 I expanded my practice to represent individuals in criminal matters involving allegations as serious as homicide, manslaughter, robbery, assault with firearms, domestic violence, terrorist threats, spousal rape, child endangerment, and narcotics trafficking.

I am proud of my track record and results at trial. In addition to trying numerous real estate and complex business disputes, I also have successfully tried several serious felony cases, winning outstanding results.

Since 2002, I have also served Los Angeles County as an Arbitrator and a Hearing Officer for the Civil Service and Employee Relations Commissions. This experience has enriched my legal skill set and enabled me to bring to my work as an advocate the perspective of a judicial officer.

I believe we are all multi-talented creative beings and in the healing power of self-knowledge and expression. I have served on the Board of Directors for two non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting arts education and international art exchange — Theatre of Hearts Youth First and Common Ground. I have provided legal representation and consultation for international filmmakers and visual artists. I have internationally exhibited my own photographic work. In 2016 I was privileged to graduate from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyer’s College in Dubois, Wyoming, an achievement that I am deeply grateful for and proud of, and through the College I continue to study and perfect my trial skills with the best trial lawyers in the United States.

The lawyers who I know and respect and who inspire me are well-rounded, curious, multi-talented, and on a never-ending quest for self-knowledge and improvement. I strive to emulate them and to bring a creative and humanistic approach to my practice of law that is centered on the stories and the rights of individuals. I believe these values enable me to make positive difference in not only the results I achieve, but also in my client’s experience with me standing by them whilst in the hurricane of a legal conflict.